My first voyage with Voyager

VOY writers: Cities of Gold?!! FERENGI ftw!! And you know maybe we could have female indian tribe ferengi with papooses so they can be naked but okay for television. And wampum, that's got Ferengi written all over it!!

We get some of 7 of 9’s background in this episode. Her parents were hippy travelers who explored space. Kes started to do some pretty advanced telepathic stuff; she is able to release a Borg implant from 7/9s nerves through telepathy. Even Tuvok looked impressed, if he is capable of that…. Tuvok wanted her to do guided exercises in order to hone her abilities; it seems to me that she is beyond Tuvok now. Janeway was kind of hard on 7/9, but she needed that. She sends 7/9 to engineering to help repair the areas the Borg manipulated.

Speaking of manipulation, Tuvok has Kes manipulate a flame in order to control her abilities. She is able to “see” the flame beyond the subatomic. Tuvok stared at her like she was scary. While in engineering 7/9 tried to contact the Borg through the telecommunication, but Kes detected it and was able to cause an explosion to stop her.

Kes and Neelix sit down together and we actually get some closure between them. Neelix admits that he was holding her back, and she jokes and tells him that it was actually his cooking. While they are talking Kes accidently hurts Neelix and the structural integrity of the hull on that level is compromised. When Tuvok and Janeway make it down to that level Kes is somewhat invisible.

I thought that the crew was supposed to still refer to female captains as sir not ma’am. Janeway is called down as ma’am to the brig to talk with 7/9 who actually gets upset and starts to cry…her human biology is taking over quickly. I love that Janeway keeps using Borg idioms to manipulate 7/9…”it [human] is what you are don’t resist it”. I like how they are showing 7/9's resistance and also stablizing it with human emotions that are obviously popping to the surface and agitating everything 7/9 has known as Borg.

Kes is going through a transformation and she tells Janeway that she needs to get off the ship; NO! I like Kes’ character (although not her new hairstyle). Why can’t we keep Kes and 7/9? I don’t like this. It is making me sad. What happened to her? Did she ascend like in Star Gate? All of a sudden VOY flew through space, beyond Borg space and 10 years closer to home. Janeway looked like she was going to cry. It was very sad and happy all at once. What in the hell happened to Kes? Are we ever going to see her again?

7/9 is 82% human at this point. She even remembers her favorite color as a child, although she still refers to the child as if it were a different life form and not her.

Favorite part: Janeway to Tuvok: I can tell by the expression on your face that you have bad news. Tuvok to Janeway: I have no expression on my face.

Least favorite part: Kes left. I’m sad. I liked her cool casualness and her ability to calm people and help in any situation.

7/9 makes a request to work more. She is having a hard time being alone. B’Elanna is having a hard time at work. She has a series of problems not go well for her, and is in a pissy mood. It only got worse when Chakotay assigned 7/9 to engineering. Janeway talks 7/9 into using a less cumbersome name; Seven, which she accepts.

Voyager encounters a ship, which lost most of its people to the Borg. They appear to be very humble and apologetically ask for help. B’Elanna is quite hostile toward Seven, which is understandable. Suddenly, the crew is asked to befriend and take in an enemy. While in the mess hall Neelix offers to be B’Elanna’s exploding board; a place where she can blow off steam without worrying about hurting someone’s feelings. Neelix had prepared a special dish for B’Elanna for the Klingon Day of Honor ritual day. She seeks Neelix’s advice on whether or not she should go through with the ceremony. After speaking with Neelix she decides to go through with the ritual and she gulps down the blood pie. While in the holodeck she goes through the ritual ceremony. She has to eat and drink some interesting things for glory. After a few difficulties she decides to back out of the ceremony. In her quarters, she and Paris get in a fight and Paris storms out.

The directing member of the alien race speaks with Janeway and is kind of rude. He tries to accuse her of not wanting to help, and Neelix sticks up for Janeway. On the way back to his ship he spots Seven and gets very angry and emotional. In the meanwhile, the ship is trying to incorporate some of the Borg technology in order to make the ship function better. While doing so the Warp core breaches and they have to eject the warp core. B’Elanna is struggling with her bad day, and to make it worse while in the shuttle trying to find the core they encounter the Caatati salvaging their core and fire on the shuttle. B’Elanna and Paris transport out of the struggle in their space suits and are basically lost in space at the moment. While they are trying to work on contacting Voyager they have a great conversation filled with hints based on feelings and sexual innuendo. (Is it me, or has Paris’ acting in the last few episodes seemed bland and somewhat monotone?)….

Janeway speaks with Seven to see if she had anything to do with the accident in engineering. Seven feels that the crew is contentious and inefficient, but filled with random acts of kindness. B’Elanna and Paris continue to have a very touching conversation. However, they only have ½ an hour left of oxygen and things are getting dangerous for them. I like it that Seven seems to be receptive to Janeway.

The Caatati go to Voyager and threaten them. As part of the underlying message of the episode, Seven offers herself to the Caatati as a random act of kindness. When Janeway points out that she just performed a random act of kindness she smiles. She seems pleased that she did something good.

Paris and B’Elanna are about to die and B’Elanna tells Paris that she loves him with her last breath. This was actually quite touching and dramatic. This whole episode had several elements to it that were complicated and not just surface stories, but parts of a larger story.

Favorite part: I liked the emotional aspect to this episode. We saw it with the story with the Caatati and Seven, with Seven’s activities on the ship and her interplay with Janeway, and with Paris and B’Elanna. It was part of a more complicated story and it enhanced the arc.

Least favorite part: Paris' acting on a whole, particularly I did not like Paris’ response to B’Elanna after she proclaimed her love: “Now, is the time you chose to tell me”….

The opening scene was very “Lord of the Flies”ish. Chakotay is found on a planet by a group of boys who have specific names and designations. Within the first five minutes I was quite annoyed by this episode, especially after the last episode which I enjoyed. The language of the group of boys was very simple and choppy. Blah, blah, blah….

Chakotay goes with the group of boy defenders, they all die, he goes to a village, the village is attacked, and he is held captive. In the end, Tuvok goes down to the planet and finds Chakotay fighting in their war. The boys brainwashed Chakotay to make him think their enemy was the true enemy and his enemy. Chakotay gets back onto Voyager and the Doctor helps him “recover”. Janeway makes a comment that it will be a long and arduous journery for Chakotay to bounce back mentally, but I am pretty sure he will be fine by the next episode, and that they will not mention this again, which this time, I don’t mind!!

Ah, yes. "You picked a great time to tell me." Not the most eloquent of lovers, is he, our Tom. BUT. Given how hard he's pursued her throughout Season 3, and now he's finally got to where he wants to be (his attraction to B'Elanna is quite obvious throughout the preceding exchanges -- "... there wouldn't have been a time when I wouldn't have found you fascinating...") I actually thought that line came from the deepest of disappointments, and was quite fitting.

I also found his interactions with B'Elanna throughout quite honest and believable -- he's trying to do something with her, and she thwacks him back just once too many. And still, he's quite understanding with her when she complains about her shit day in the shuttle. Maybe you need to see it again ...?

But then again I'm a hopeless romantic, and an inveterate P/T shipper (full disclosure here now that the spoiler effect is off).

I thought his interactions with her were great, and I agree that he has a right to be trepidacious after being let down so many times, but I just wanted a smile, or a laugh...something. He seemed so inactive compared to his usual carefree character. I loved B'Elanna's emotion though! She did a great job!

They are celebrating Tuvok’s promotion to Lieutenant Commander. In his remarks I think he may have made a joke…After the celebration Paris corners B’Elanna and tries to talk to her about her “love” for him. They fumble for a few seconds before Paris kisses her and the Doctor promptly interrupts her. The Doctor informs Paris that he will take over some of Kes’ responsibilities in the sick bay.

Kim was assigned to work with Seven, and he is obviously quite scared of her, which she blatantly points out to him. I approve. I like seeing Kim embarrassed! The Doctor calls B’Elanna out for being “good friends” with Paris. She gets embarrassed, but unlike Kim she strikes back and yells at the Doc for being nosey.

Voyager finds a distress call sent out by a holographic being. B’Elanna and the Doc go onboard this ship to help the fella. At the same time, Kim is working with Seven, who made a mistake. Her response was that her humanity was asserting itself. Oh no, is Kim falling for Seven already? He is chiding Paris for his bedside manner, and sticking up for her. He even admits that he has a crush. Paris actually gives him decent advice.

B’Elanna is investigating the alien ship after figuring out that the hologram lied to her, and while doing so he attacks her. The Doc goes to her aid, but the two of the holograms get into a holographic fight, but the Docs badge is removed and he disappears. B’Elanna is left with him by herself to fight. (They used foreshadowing in reagards to how she ends his program, nicely done)!

Kim tries to get out of duty with Seven, and Chakotay denies him. Seven has reacted favorably to him, and he feels that they will work together well. In sickbay the Doc was hysterical. He made several jokes, including a couple of sexual references. I like his humor, now if he only had a name!

Keep the doctor's comment on the excessive P/T hormones in mind for the next ep ... :-)

Talk about foreshadowing. One of the few times the series does that.

Oh, and if you're interested in a run-through of the P/T "courtship," now that you're at Revulsion, feel free to have a look at my collection of short-short vignettes called "Slow Burn". (Link to my FFN account is in my signature line.)

Janeway is trying to work with Seven to teach her the act of having a hobby, using her imagination, and relaxing. While talking with her Seven has a vision of the Borg, and she is brought to the Doctor for testing. The Doc tells her she needs to eat while he studies her scans. I was hoping we would see her first experience with food.

Janeway is working with the local aliens to make an agreement for the Voyager to go through their space. While Janeway is negotiating, Seven meets Neelix. Neelix explains to Seven what a pleasurably culinary experience entails. I was particularly fond of the part where Neelix teaches her to use a fork, chew, and swallow. I also appreciate the attention to detail that this scene created. Additionally, their facial gestures/features were hysterical! Unfortunately, a Borg hardware piece popped through her skin and she became Borg again, and successfully stole one of the many shuttle crafts and escaped.

Now, Voyager needs to go into the alien space, who have warned them not to enter or it would be the same as declaring war. Paris and Tuvok follow her in a shuttle craft to reason with her and give her a cure that will stop her Borg technology from spreading. Tuvok beams into the shuttle craft and he gets captured by Seven. Seven starts to assimilate Tuvok and then stops and tells him that they will find the Borg and she will return him to Voyager so he can thank Janeway for her. Tuvok points out how human that is. Once she finds the planet that she thinks the Borg are on her and Tuvok (who willingly joined her) explore the area and find a ship assimilated by the Borg. Seven realizes that it was her parents’ ship and she is having flashbacks to when she was taken by the Borg. Meanwhile, the aliens have found them and attack them, conveniently, after Seven finishes telling Tuvok her story. Paris beams them aboard the shuttle and they return to Voyager. I kind of like it that Janeway gave up the shortcut to save Seven; she has already accepted her into the crew.

Favorite part: Seven learning to eat.

Least favorite part: How did Janeway immediately know what to look for when she realized Seven was seeing Ravens in her dreams?